


A picture is worth a thousand words

by Soft_dreams



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: AU, M/M, Slow Burn, Writer AU, ignore me being salty lmao
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-19
Updated: 2019-03-30
Packaged: 2019-11-24 03:22:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18160829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soft_dreams/pseuds/Soft_dreams
Summary: Every day had felt like a chore, every failed the assignment or missed due date adding on to the evergrowing list of things Keith Kogane couldn't do right. The only thing that made it easier was a book series he'd found and followed all the way up into college, but after the author vanishes he's back to step one.





	1. where one thing ends, something else begins.

Keith had never been that interested in books or reading, and school was always a challenge.  
  
It had gotten so bad that his mom opted to just pull him out and teach him on her own time. Sure it would slow things down a little but maybe a different environment would help. She'd been trying to get him on medication for a while but most doctors flat out refused to put a 'child' on Adderall or any other ADD/ADHD medication.  
  
So Keith kept fighting, kept trying and trying and trying to make a dent in his school, but it was an uphill battle in the snow and ice. It felt like he was swimming against the current.

One day, Krolia took him out of town. there was a doctor that specialized in 'children' that had issues focusing and in the end, it was more of the same new but something else. The doctor prescribed an anti-depressant as opposed to a focus aid and it left a pit in her stomach.

She stayed in town with Keith for a while, taking him out to eat while they just talked.  
However, Keith seemed reluctant to speak about much.  
  
on their way out of town, Keith asked if they could stop at a book store, something she'd never heard her son asked so she agreed and pulled into to the parking lot.

Keith stood in there for a few hours, looking over old titles. Some of the spines were bent and warped from being read over and over while others were pretty much in brand new condition. Keith huffed and walked through the aisles, hands in his pockets.

he stopped at the science fiction section, and let his eyes wander- laughing at some of the titles.  
  
' _ **Alien bride from Xion.**_ '  
  
' _ **Love among the stars;**_ '  
  
' _ **Xaidian chronicles**_ '  
  
a lot of 'x's in titles and a lot of romance. He was about to keep walking when his eyes caught a perfectly unread book. It didn't even look like someone had thumbed through it out of curiosity. Surely it couldn't be that bad.  
  
Keith picked it up and read the cover.  
  
' _ **Trials of the Champion.**_ a Romance Novel by _Sven Holgersson_.'  
  
He'd never heard of that author before, but he hadn't heard of many authors. he shifted his weight between his feet and read the back.  
  
_'after being abducted on a space exploration mission, Shirogane is faced with a choice- to fight or to give in and die. With no hope of rescue and no hope of escape, He must become these people's champion to see the light of the next day_.'  
  
it caught his attention, in a good way, and Keith turned to page 17.

  
It was a trick he'd learned from a librarian. 'to see if a book is right for you, turn to the page that shares your age and read it.'

His eyes skimmed down the page and lit up as he read on. The collective mind in this story, the protagonist being so flushed out- so in depth- and so in love... only on page 17 made Keith's heart skip.  
He started looking on the shelf for more by the author, even going to the front to ask but there was nothing. The store owner even admitted that he thought he'd thrown the book into the 50 cent section.

Krolia calmed the rage she could see quelling in her son and paid for the book, walking with Keith out to the car.

"I'm amazed you found something."  
  
She teased as they made their way down the road.  
  
"Sven has such an amazing way with words mom, it's so subversive. I don't know why he was trying to hide this book it's so good." Keith grumbled, opening it up to read it from the start.  
  
  
"Keith- wait til we get home. You're going to get sick. I don't need half digested burgers and ice cream on my airbags. You know your father can't drive if we actually needed those--"  
  
"Ew, okay. okay. you don't have to chastise me. I'll just... look at the author's picture for the ride home."  
  
"You could tell me a little bit about it, you never get excited about books. what's the story about, is the protagonist cute?" She asked, a soft grin on her face as she glanced over at him.  
Keith had been doing exactly what he said he would, staring at the author's picture as they spoke. Soft eyes somehow full of hope, jet black hair kept in a neat military buzz cut. Their smile was so brilliant, it shined brighter than the stars they wrote about.  
" _adorable._ "

  
  
  
  
  
  
 When they got home Keith vanished almost immediately, kicking off his shoes as he flopped down in bed. He curled up with his book and got lost in the world of Galran Space Pirates and War Criminals.  
 Every page had his heart pounding, mind racing to what could possibly happen next. He stayed like that for hours until he heard Krolia call for dinner and even then he didn't leave his book until a knock came at his door.

"Hey jerk off, get downstairs now. Dad made dinner for once. Put down your gay romance novel and come eat." Hissed his sister.  
She'd pushed open the door, her navy blue hair hanging in her face as she accosted him.  
  
"Fuck you Acxa. I'm not hungry." He hissed back, like two feral cats fighting for turf.  
  
"Suit yourself, but mom's coming up next and she said she's going to take that book away." His sister turned on her heels and headed back downstairs, causing Keith to groan and tuck the book away.

 Even during dinner, he kept thinking about what was going to happen next, if Shiro the Hero would make it out alive. He grumbled as he thought of the predicament they were in.

"So, Kenny. Your mother tells me you're reading a romance novel?" His father's gruff voice pulled him out of his trance, making his eyes snap up from his mostly untouched plate.  
  
"Oh uh, yeah. It's more about space and aliens than romance. It's apart of an ongoing saga."  
  
"Ughhh, barf. That means we're going to have to listen to more of this garbage for an unforeseeable amount of time." Acxa grumbled.  
   
 Krolia gave her a sharp look upon noticing how Keith grew quiet, causing Acxa to mouth 'what' and furrow her brows.  
  
"I-It uh, It doesn't look like more than the second one is out. He's a really young author and he used writing as a coping mechanism. He lost his arm during service, and his author portraits the last picture taken of him before he got disfigured." Keith managed, talking more about the person than the contents.

 Axca groaned and went back to eating, but their dad nodded along as Keith spoke.  
"I'm glad you found something you like to read- don't let it distract you from your class work though. Or meals. the book will still be there when you're done. now finish up so you can go read more."

"Yes, sir," Keith grumbled, finishing off his plate so he could excuse himself. So he could go back to the world of the champion.

 School passed by, each new book that got released Keith was there for- even though he knew the author would never show his face. each new addition made his heart leap. the budding romance between Shiro and his life long friend melted Keith's heart.

 Books were released well after he graduated school and with a mix of that and his medication things didn't seem so hard anymore.  
He was even accepted into a decent college after two years into a community college.

 Keith really felt his life looking up, and then the author sort of.. _vanished_. No updates, no word from the publishers. nothing.   
Months went by, and into the start of the next year, the publisher released an apology note on the author's behalf stating that the series would be discontinued. Keith's heart sank. There was no way it was going to end like that, with Shiro so close to telling his best friend how they really felt- with them locked in a fight to the death that neither wanted to be in, that caused actual tears from Keith when Akira told them he loved them to stop Shiro from attacking.

 He wanted to know how it ended, wanted to know what happened to Shiro- or if it even was Shiro. There had been so much heat in the forums- people getting mad over a shitty clone trope. The more Keith thought about it, the more he realized how much backlash this saga got. How much backlash it had always gotten.

So many racists, homophobic, outlandish claims. So many death threats if two characters didn't end up together.. it was scary. Keith felt a little bad.

 He tried his hand at writing what they called 'fix it fics' but he never liked the flow of them, never liked how different it was from such an amazing canon source. so he started over, read from the beginning and hoped for something to change. He could at least hold on to the few memories he had.

 Keith made his way down to the coffee shop in his new town, a mix of anti-depressants and Adderall flowing through his blood as he went to study and grab a cup or two.  
He got comfortable at one of the tables and grumbled at the sight of acxa and her friend group. He'd gone hundreds of miles away to a different school and his sister still managed to ruin it for him. Keith opened his laptop, the back of it covered in stickers of Shiro and Akira and other art from the book series. He plugged in his headphones and did his best to block everyone else out.

 Keith could have sworn he heard his name be called, but he wasn't sure, so he took his headphones out and waited for it to be called again- it was probably just his order but he wanted to make sure. A large man came up next to him, well built with long black hair. they had a shock of white through the forelock and their eyes looked tired.

"Hey, Order for Keith?" their voice was smooth, it made his stomach feel weird.  
  
"Oh- yeah, that's me. sorry, I had my headphones it."  
  
"That's a terrible practice when you're waiting on your order. You're just lucky you're in here every day getting the same thing or your coffee would have gone cold." Their chuckle made Keith's face heat up.  
  
"y-yeah, you're right. I was just trying to avoid my sister."  
  
"By ignoring her?" He set the coffee down and leaned against Keith's table, both of them looking over to Axca who flipped them the bird.  
  
"Yes. it's the safest way to do it." Keith shook his head and looked up at them. "Don't you think it's a little unfair that you know my name and I don't know yours. Half the time you're at work you have 'flavor out of service' pasted over the name slot."

"Don't you think it's better that way? maybe I don't have a name, I could just be a ghost. this could all be a dream."  
  
"Worst dream yet." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. He noticed the other's eyes on his laptop, on his ship art wallpaper.

"Shiro and Akira right? from that novel.. uh... Champions...?"

"Trials of the Champion?" Keith corrected, trying not to sound rude.

"Yeah. You ship them?" The other asked and Keith felt his fight or flight instinct kick in. He'd avoided the fandom for so long, he wasn't sure what to do.

"Yeah I mean, they're practically canon. Akira said I love you and Shiro was going to but his brain was all fucky, besides the first novel said it was a romance novel and they have the most build up."

"What? wait, oh my god you have that printing of the first novel?" The other looked dumbfounded, eyes wide while Keith just looked confused.  
"Uh, yeah? was there a reprint or something?"

"Yeah- yes there was. Uh shit, I have to get back to work but- here" the taller male wrote down his number, handing it over. "Text me after five okay? we need to talk."

Keith was dumbfounded, after over a year of radio silence and shitty fans he found someone he could actually talk to about it- and he learned something he would have never guessed. Keith took the note and looked it over, it was simply signed '-xoxo, k'

   
Keith ended up taking his coffee to-go, not wanting to spend any more time in the same building as his sister. He packed his laptop up and waved goodbye at the mystery barista before making the short walk down the street to his apartment complex. Rent was far cheaper than living in the dorms, and he could have a cat this way.  
  
He sat down on his couch and pulled his laptop back out, fully intending to work on school- but his eyes kept going back over to the note and his mind kept wondering.  
  
Who was that guy? why did he get so excited over a misprint?  
  
keith hummed and went back to work, picking up his phone at 5:45 to send them a text. 


	2. Transaction pending

 He couldn't still his nerves, every moment that went by without a text back made him nervous. All he could imagine was that stranger from the cafe typing up a long list of reason why he sucked or should go kill himself.  
  
keith groaned and set his phone down, getting up to look around the small apartment for food. his feet sank into the outdated orange shag carpet that must have been new when the place was built. now it just served as a place for his cat to hide and blend into perfectly. Keith clicked his tongue, calling the ferocious feline into the kitchen for dinner.  
 After opening up the wooden cabinet door, that squeaked every time without fail, he pulled down a can of wet cat food and pulled the top off.  
  
 "Ohh, looks like you get a turkey dinner and I get..." He shifted through the rest of the space, frowning at the lack of food. There were some open goldfish crackers in the back, but he considered them emergency rations and closed the door again. This meant he'd have to call Krolia and let her know that he still hadn't gotten hired on anywhere yet.   
 Keith sighed and opened up his freezer in order to pull out a frozen dinner. With a smile, he leaned down and scratched red's chin.  
  
"Lean Cuisine. You know.. I bet I could get on like.. food stamps.. maybe go to a food pantry? then I can use what little money I have on you.." He rolled his eyes as the large orange cat meowed.  
"I know, I know.. Cigarettes and booze are not 'on you' don't at me red."  
  
 He peeled open the box and tossed it in the microwave, picking up his cat before heading into the living room to get his phone and text his mom. He was surprised to see one new message from an unknown number.  
  
**_[ Hey! I can't believe you actually messaged me, wow. sorry, I got home and my second job needed me. Thankfully that one's from home. I just had to get a start on it, but we're good now. So- about that book..]_**  
  
 It felt weird, almost made him anxious as he read over the text. He hadn't even noticed when red jumped off his shoulders, instead he was trying to figure out what to say.  
  
**_[What about it?]_**  
  
**_[How much do you want for it? I can give you 200.]_**  
  
**_[what? is that all you wanted to ask? I'm not giving you my copy.]_**  
  
**_[Oh no, I'm not asking you to give it. how about 500? That specific copy is very important to me. I've been looking for it forever.]_**  
  
**_[Did you try the Dallas Texas Used bookstore? you'd just need to go back 4 years and you can get it for 50 cents.]_**  
  
_**[it was only 50 cents? what if I give you 1000 and we call it good?]**_  
  
 Keith swallowed hard at that, who was this coffee barista? They had to be some kind of drug dealer to just drop 1k on a book. Maybe if it was so limited edition he could sell it on eBay for even more.  He shook his head and got up to grab his dinner, frowning at the microwaved noodles. His mom and dad were going through a rough patch right now, and he knew money was tight. They didn't need both their kids asking for money help.  
  
 Keith sighed and dumped the noodles into a bowl so he could at least save some of his dignity. made his way back to his phone carrying the white generic bowl from the dollar store. The aesthetic did nothing for the appearance of the noodles. such soggy white alfredo noodles with what looked like chicken and peas.. the idea of eating it made him frown, but food was food and there were at least some nutrients in it.   
  
**_[Fine. I'll sell you the book. Is it really so important that you'll give me 1000?]_**

He typed out, his brows furrowed as he waited for a reply from the strange man.   
  
**_[You have no idea. I still have savings from when I was younger- thank you so much, Keith, you're a life saver. Want to come by my place tomorrow to drop it off?]_**  
  
He sat quietly and thought it over for a minute, then thought about how small he was in comparison to the barista he'd met, with a small disgruntled huff he shot them back a text.   
  
_**[PayPal me the money first, so I know you're not going to jump me for a gay romance novel.]**_  
  
He wasn't certain, but he could almost tell that pulled a giggle from the other. Keith had always used humor in situations like that, as a way to defect. it made life easier to handle.  
  
**_[Oh come on, would Takashi jump someone?]_**   They asked and within the minute Keith sent back.  
  
_**[Yes. Especially Akira.]**_    
  
_**[That sounds like a very Akira thing to say. Here I thought he trusted them. Why can't you trust me, Keith?]**_  
  
__**[I don't even know your name and you're spending twice my rent on a book.]**  
  
 One he'd miss dearly, it looked like it was time to try fan art and fix it fics again as a means of coping.  
Keith sighed and rubbed his face as he started on his dinner. When his PayPal dinged, letting him know someone sent him money, he shifted in his spot on the old beat up couch. Keith looked down at the notification and nearly dropped his bowl into his lap. There was no way that it said what he thought it did.   
  
_| -- Sven Holgersson sent you money 1500. --|_  
  
 His eyes went wide, and he had to double take- his heart thumping in his chest.  
He knew Sven was young, but for that guy at the coffee shop to be him- there could have only been 7 years max between the two. His head was spinning and the only thing that pulled his mind out of it was a text.  
  
_**[Well, three times your rent will have to do it. I honestly can't thank you enough. Are you still nervous about coming over? I can always meet you somewhere else.]**_  
  
_**[No! I can meet you there. Why didn't you tell me you were Sven??]**_  
  
_**[You might have just given me the book, and I couldn't just take it from you. You seem to really love the series. Plus I might be a little soft for you, knowing that you ship my ship. The other romances were sort of thrown in to make up for the Publisher's decision to cut it. If you haven't already bought it I suggest getting the latest copy, they're going to pull it and make me rewrite it so they can use it in the movie.]**_  
  
_**[movie?]**_  
  
_**[Ah, we can talk more about it tomorrow when you bring the book. what time works best? I work until 4:30 but I can bring you home a coffee if you'd like.]**_  
  
_**[You just spent 1.5k on me, do not bring me back a coffee. I swear to god. I'll be at your address at 4:50.]**_  
  
 By this point, the noodles had grown cold, set unattended on the coffee table in front of him. Keith's heart was pounding in his ears as he looked over the text and the PayPal information over and over again, still unable to believe this was really happening.  
  
Sven Holgersson. _THE_   Sven Holgersson.  
  
He felt his stomach twist and tense, and all he could do was pet his cat while they ate his lean cuisine.  
  
 "Red. Holy shit... I have to look nice tomorrow. I never look nice after class." He was star struck, mind still racing with the sudden overload of information.  
what if he says something stupid, or what if he accidentally breaks something in Sven's house. What if the book is too beat up for them to use?  
  
Red must have known that Keith was freaking out, as he abandoned his noodles and opted to curl up on his chest, purring loudly to soothe him.  
  
"Why are you so good with words... no one else gets me like you do Red. Honestly." He sighed and let his eyes fall shut. Letting his mind calmly sort through the night for the first time. It only took a few minutes for him to bolt upright.  
  
"HE SAID HE _SHIPPED_ IT." Keith Hollered, His eyes wide as he realized what that meant. Red had fluffed up and bolted off of Keith, hissing as they ran off into the spare room Keith kept the cat tree and toys in.   
  
"Sorry red! I just realized there's actually a chance that he read my shitty fic since he ships it. Even if it's a small chance, the chance is still there." Keith groaned throwing himself back on the couch.   
"Oh, no. I didn't characterize them well at all. so many other authors did so much better and all I did was make them kiss and get smoothies. There are so many cool stories of them being space pirates and taking on the universe together and I wrote Akira trans and working at the mall. Ughhhhh I have to go delete it in case there's still a chance I can save myself. Why the fuck would Sven want someone to just write Akira as their self insert- I'm such an idiot. I need to private my account."  
  
He crawled off his spot on the couch and went to the kitchen to get his bottle of whiskey, ready to drink himself into tomorrow to hide from his own embarrassment.  
  
When the sun came up the next day, Keith was exhausted- his body sore and head throbbing. He didn't have enough water or food the night before but thankfully had enough time to pick up breakfast before class.  
  
He grabbed his phone, wallet, and keys before putting down food and fresh water for red. He'd tucked the book into his backpack, fully intending on going straight to Sven's address after class got out.  
  
It was still so weird and surreal that any of this was happening, that this was real. He would have never guessed that he'd be meeting his favorite author face to face- in their home and to meet them at the coffee shop of all places? keith tried his best to calm his beating heart, reminding himself to remain professional but it was hard to focus on anything when his mind was racing with possibilities of what might happen.  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! so I'm trying to post every Monday or Thursday. Those are just the days that work best for me, but I know myself far too well and know I can't do anything consistently. It might be a weekend post if it's not up on time but I really don't want to abandon this fic like every other one.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't posted anything in a million years, and my taste in ships has changed. I figure now is as good of a time as any to post what I have.


End file.
